1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to security monitoring systems, and relates more particularly to a security map display and alarm monitor that is easily configured by inserting a site map and drawing lines from security devices or zones shown on the map to indicator clusters located around the border of the map.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
A security system typically consists of several sensors or other security devices deployed throughout a site and wired or otherwise connected to a control system. Security devices are available that react to various stimuli, such as sound, vibration, light, heat, smoke, or movement. The security devices might be designed to react to various events, such as opening a door, the presence of a person, the presence of a fire, failure of equipment, or tampering with the security device. Each security device may be said to be associated with a zone or physical space.
In its simplest form, the control system would indicate the status of the security devices. The device that indicates the status of the security devices is known by various names, such as annunciator or annunciator panel, status display, display control panel, monitoring panel, etc. These indicating devices will be referred to below as alarm monitors.
Typically, an alarm monitor would allow some or all of the security devices to be de-activated so that normal activity during certain hours would not cause an alarm. When the security devices are activated, the alarm monitor would typically indicate whether each security device is secured (normal) or alarmed (abnormal). When a security device indicates an alarm, the alarm monitor would announce the alarm by sounding a buzzer, ringing a bell, flashing a light, or some other means.
It is desirable for the alarm monitor to indicate the status of every security device, so that security personnel can determine which location to investigate if an alarm is sounded. Some alarm monitors do this by a bank of indicator lights, with each group or cluster of lights corresponding to one security device. A label next to each cluster of lights, or a separate index, would provide a description of the corresponding security device. A disadvantage to this approach is that the security personnel must either be familiar with the security system or read and understand the label or index before understanding the location of the alarm. Reading the label or index may be difficult in low-light situations or due to language problems. This may be a serious disadvantage where response time is critical.
Alternatively, the alarm monitor might display a map of the site with indicator lights positioned on the map at the location of each security device. Such an alarm monitor would include a custom-made map display panel for the site, displaying the site map and illustrating the locations of the security devices deployed throughout the site. This approach overcomes the disadvantage noted above, but is difficult to set up because a custom-built display panel, with its unique map and indicator light locations, is needed for each individual site. The need for a custom-built display panel limits the use of this type of alarm monitor in situations where rapid deployment is a requirement.
It is also desirable for an alarm monitor to allow security personnel to respond to the status displays of the security devices. For example, the operator should be able to acknowledge an alarm so that the alarm annunciator can be turned off by the security system. Once an alarm is acknowledged and investigated, the operator should be able to reset the display so that the next alarm will be indicated. It is common to provide switches for this purpose, one per security device, located either in a bank with the indicator lights or on the custom-built display panel at the map location of the security devices. Once again, each approach has the same drawbacks noted above. Grouping the switches together does not clearly associate each switch with its corresponding security device, while displaying the switches on the site map requires a custom-made panel.